Method of packaging oleomargarine and similar materials



June 10, 1952 w. E. DENISON METHOD OF PACKAGING OLEOMARGARINE AND SIMILAR MATERIALS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Sept. 15, 1947 INVENTOR.

J1me 1952 w. E. DENISON 2,600,216

METHOD OF PACKAGING OLEOMARGARINE AND SIMILAR MATERIALS Filed Sept. 15, 194'? 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 JNVENTOR. 5 36/2507; BY

7% QQ Q Patented June 10, 1952 METHOD OF PACKAGING OLEOMARGA- RINE AND SIMILAR MATERIALS William E. Denison, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Tammen and Denison, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application September 15, 1947, Serial No. 774,013

11 Claims. 1

This application discloses several inventions relating to methods of packaging prints of oily or greasy substances such as butter, oleomargarine, lard and shortening compounds. One invention relates to a method of packaging oleomargarine and coloring and to the resulting packages. These inventions are included in a single application because they are closely related to each other and a story told in one place will give a clearer picture.

Processors of butter, oleomargarine and shortenings have long sought an inexpensive sealed package. The sealed package protects the merchandise where for some reason the temperature gets so high that the merchandise becomes soft or melts. Heretofore the sealed metal can has been used. Cans are generally used in foreign shipments where refrigeration controls are most likely to break down. In the domestic market where refrigeration from processor to ultimate consumer is quite reliable, the comparatively inexpensive paper wrappers and cardboard cartons are used for butter, oleomargarine and some lard. Most shortenings and some lard for domestic consumption are packaged in cans primarily because the non-refrigerated conditions under which these substances are kept in both the channels of trade and in household kitchens make a sealed container desirable, but secondarily because these shortenings when ready for packaging are in fiowable emulsion form and can only with difiiculty be placed in flexible containers.

The industry, therefore, has been looking for an inexpensive sealed containerinexpensive for the shortenings and sealed for better preservation of butter and oleomargarine. The new translucent, flexible, tough plastics such as Vinylite and Pliofilm offer possibilities for such a package and upon first examination they would seem to solve the problem. They have not, because a heat seal cannot be made between two surfaces either of which has any grease upon it, and with present day equipment and methods, it is extremely difficult to keep butter or lard from all surfaces that must be heat sealed. For example, an oleomargarine processor is packaging a coloring berry and oleomargarine inside a sealed Pliofilm container by extruding the oleomargarine from a four-nozzle filler into a preformed bag, sealed except for the mouth. It is so difiicult to withdraw the bag mouth from the nozzles without getting some grease on an inside surface to be sealed, that fifteen percent of the finished packages must be rejected because of defective seals.

The first object of this invention is to form a fiat piece of wrapping material around a print of butter or oleomargarine and to seal the edges around the print without damaging the print by heat. By this method, no surface of the wrapper which is to be heat-sealed ever engages the print and hence a perfect seal can always be made. Corollary to this object, applicant performs the sealing in a plurality of steps so that the print is not exposed to the heat sealing units all at one time. One of the features of applicants invention resides in depositing prints of butter or oleomargarine on moving strips of translucent film, of wrapping the two edges of the film around the prints and over a fiat heat sealing anvil into overlapping relationship with each other, and of sealing the two edges together to form a tube with the prints spaced from one another therein.

Another object of the invention is to separate the tube into separate packages by applying a pair of transverse seals while permitting the air to escape from the space in the tube and then sever the packages between the seals.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of forming a two-compartment wrapper for oleomargarine and coloring material. This is done by alternately depositing a print and a coloring charge on the film while in a flat state and then forming the film around the print and the coloring. By this arrangement the coloring compartment may be held out of communication with the oleomargarine by folds in that portion of the wrapper between the two compartments. Applicant, however, preferably utilizes a weak heat seal between the two compartments-a seal which may readily be broken.

Another object of this invention is the provision of new and improved packages for oleomargarine and coloring material and methods of making the same.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained in the embodiments of the invention hereinafter disclosed in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating steps in applicants basic method;

Fig. 2 is a side schematic elevation of equipment illustrating additional steps for particular types of packages.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a packaged article in its simplest form;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a packaged oleomargarine and coloring in a preferred form;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a package such as those illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, but inside a carton;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of another package of oleomargarine and coloring;

Fig. '7 illustrates one method of opening the weak seal of the package illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a top view of applicant's package illustrating how the corners flare outwardly when the end seals are made and showing a coloring berry at one seal; v I

Fig. 9 illustrates a package like that of Fig. 3 with a coloring berry pressed into the oleomargarine at the corner.

Fig. 10 illustrates two components of a single print where the coloring is laid on one which becomes the center of the print in consumer form;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of a print which will not engage the anvil of the longitudinal heat sealer; and

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of still another form of oleomargarine container together with a suggested means for folding.

The principal method of packaging Continuing to refer to the drawings, in Figure l, the numeral l identifies a roll of wrapping material whose end is drawn along a horizontal plane at l2. Upon this strip H! are deposited at regular intervals, articles to be wrapped M, as the strip advances. As an article is moved from position 16 to position [8, the side edges 20 and 22 are wrapped around the article by guides not shown into overlapping relationship at point 24 above an anvil or'suppor't 26 and assisted perhaps by a pressure wheel 25. The numeral 28 schematically represents a joining device for affixing the overlapping edges to each other.

As the strip i2 and the articles move to the right of the joining device 23, there is created a tube 36 with the articles spaced therein. At station 32', two sets of transverse joining means 34, 35, 36, and 3'! pinch the tube and join the pinched walls along lines 38 and 49. A cutter 4! severe the tube between the lines 38 and 46.

In its simplest aspect, applicant's method consists in successively positioning articles on a strip of wrapping material having parallel side edges, continuously overlapping the parallel edges over the articles to form a tube, fastening the edges to each other while the article assists in holding the material reasonably tight, and then transversely joining and severing. Thus, assuming that the article H is a papercarton containing twentyfive pounds of ice cubes which requires an inexpensive burlap wrapper when sold through a vending machine, the two edges of 12 which in this instance is burlap will be overlapped and stitched together. The joining device 28 will be a sewing machine and the anvil 26 will support the shuttle. Similarly, the joining means 34 and 36 will be sewing machines.

As thus far described, the method ispredieated upon a constantly moving strip.- Machine design may indicate intermittent movement of the strip of wrapping material in order to avoid moving the transverse joining means and knife backward and forward parallel with the movement of the strip. Whether the movement isconstant or' intermittent, the method of wrapping the strip lengthwise around the articles and fastening the edges together while the articles assist in forming the tube, remains the same;

Where the strip ['2 is" formed of a material which is substantially airtight and the articles M do not readily pass air, applicant provides another step at station 32. Referring to Fig. 2, a needle 42 first pierces the tube between two articles so that during the squeezing operation preparatory to transverse joining, the air pocket 44 is vented and the adjacent articles are not displaced longitudinally. Thus, assume that the strip I2 is cellophane and the articles are boxed candy, the joining means 28, 34, and 36 will be heat sealers-possibly gluing equipmentand before the heat sealers 34 and 36 function, the needle 42 will puncture th empty portion of the tube so that air pressure developed during the closing movement of the heat sealer shoe will not displace the articles longitudinally in the tube. In this method, if the strip is moving continuously, 28 is a heat sealer at the position shown. If the strip is moving intermittently, the heat sealer will be at position 29 but the overlapping will continue to be done at position 25, as indicated in Figure 1.

A package sealed by this process is" illustrated in Figure 3 wherein the heat seals are indicated by the numerals 46 and 48 and the longitudinal overlapped edges of the strip by the numerals 56 and 52. This method will be used in packaging prints of butter and lard, and oleomargarine Where a coloring berry is positioned inside the oleomargarine compartment.

Specific method of packaging oleomargarine Applicant's method is readily modified topa'ckage oleomargarine and coloring in a tw'o c'ompartment container. Figures 4 to 12 illustrate several oleoinargarine ackages, some of which were d'esignedby applicant and some by his associate's. In Fig. 4, applicants package consists in a principal compartment 54 for oleomargarine and a second compartment 56 for coloring material 58. Standard strong seals are indicated at 60 and 62. The seal 92' is a very weak sealreally not a seal at all. By pulling apart, the upper and lower walls 66 and 68 as indicated in Fig. 7, or by squeezing the oleoniargarine against the weak seal, the two compartments become one and by a kneading action coloring is dispersed through the oleomargarine. The coloring in the compartment may be a liquid chemical coloring in a berry, or'it may be a powder or tacky coloring composition as indicated. Where a berry is used, a smaller compartment may be provided and after the weak seal has been forced, the housewife breaks the berry while the film itself remains unbroken. As illustrated, the compartment 56 is filledwith a vegetable coloring powder.

The method ofr'naking this package is as follows. Referring to Figure 2, I0 is a roll or Viiiylite or other tough, flexible translucent film which has been drawn across a belt 10. A votater I2, schematically represented, is actuated periodically as the belt '10 advances. The" film [2 has deposited prints of uncolored oleomargarine l4; l6, I8, 80, 82, 84, and 86. Immediately in advance of each print is stamped a quantity of coloring materials by a stamp 88 which after each stamping acquires additional coloring material by being dipped in a coloring pot 90. The coloring material itself is so simply and variously prepared that its specific composition need not be stated. To powdered vegetable snoring material is added an oil compounded of ingredients used in olemargarine until a paste is obtained having the viscosity ofa heavy printers ink. A bar stamp is used. The arrangement is of greatvaluc be cause it enables the packager to introduce a very is difiicult to handle during the wrapping operation. If the coloring is in a berry, it is pressed into the oleomargarine print. If the coloring is in powder form, it is in a sealed envelope. By applicants method, the comparatively expensive berry or envelope is eliminated while the coloring remains under control during wrapping. A flat wrapper can be used, the coloring being stamped on immediately before the wrapping operation. The housewife scrapes the coloring off the wrapper with a knife.

The strip is wrapped around the prints to form the tube as heretofore described.

The longitudinal seal is made by a longitudinal sealer at 29 and the transverse seals are made by transverse sealers 34, 35, 36, and 31. In making this package, however, an additional seal is necessary, namely the weak seal 92, see Fig. 4, which is created by heat sealers 93, see Fig. 2. This weak seal is really not a seal at all. The

0 and an upper slab I20.

heat is applied only sufficiently long to cause the abutting surfaces of the Vinylite to become tacky. Such heat sealing equipment is now available on the market. These electronic heat sealers can develop the prescribed heat for two selected thicknesses of a plastic with amazing accuracy 5 and consistency. They seem to be able to work for any of the new wrapping plastics. The applicant has tried several, including Vinylite and Pliofilm. The heat required for a given thickness of film may not be the same-that is to say,

and then cooled. J

The short belt 94 will operate at approximately the same speed as the belt I0, but it will be observed that the prints 82 and 84 are close together, which naturally follows from the operation performed in the station 32. The package- 86 is shown in a cartoning machine 90 schematically illustrated.

An oleomargarine package which may become the preferred form is illustrated in Fig. 6. Here one heat seal 98 has been shaped to form a recess I00 on the inside of the package I02. The edge I04 of the package has been cut to conform to this heat seal. It is not believed necessary to show the heat sealer or the cutting knife, but this heat sealer and cutting knife will occupy the positions of the heat sealer 34 and cutting knife 4| in Fig. 1. In the recess I00 will be positioned a pad of coloring material imprinted there by the method described, or free powder deposited on the film in the same spaced relation to the prints of oleomargarine, or a berry. Maintaining the recess I00 segregated from the principal portion of the container is a metal or plastic clip I06. In order to bring the two into communication, the housewife simply removes the clip I06. At the position of heat sealer 93 in Fig. 2, there will be positioned a machine for slipping on the clip. The knife 4| and heat sealer 34 will have a suitable configuration.

In Figure 8 there is illustrated a plan view of applicants package showing how the corners I08 and H0 flare outwardly. In this package the heat seal II2 provides a small inside recess II 4 for a berry of coloring material. By simply squeezing the berry, it will break. The sides of the package tend to hold the berry in position.

In Figure 9, a side elevation is shown with a berry II6 positioned in the oleomargarine at a corner of the package. The berry might be held here by a small quantity of adhesive. It will be appreciated that where a berry is used, the berry can be affixed to the film at the position indicated by the numeral 58 in Figure 2 by sticking the berry to the film, or the berry may be pressed into the print of oleomargarine at the position of the print I6.

In Figure 10 there is illustrated twin prints of oleomargarine consisting of a lower slab H8 The lower slab IIB will be dropped onto the film by a votater at the position indicated by the numeral I4 in Figure 2. There will then be dropped onto the slab H8 at the position indicated by the numeral 88, a selected quantity of coloring powder. Thereafter, a second votater will superimpose the upper slab I20 on the lower slab and the wrapping process will continue as heretofore described. This will leave the coloring in the center of the print and so long as the print remains cold, the color will not be dispersed throughout the oleomargarine.

Referring to Figure 12, there is illustrated an oleomargarine package which is sealed around its periphery. Its large compartment I22 is separated from its small compartment I 24 by transverse folds I26 which are formed therein by members I28 and I30. These folds will replace the weak seal illustrated in the embodiment in Figure 4, or they may supplement it. Members I28 and I30 will occupy the position of the weak seal 93 in Fig. 2.

Applicants machine is designed to deliver one package a second and it is not anticipated that the longitudinal heat sealer at Figures 28 0r 29 in Figure 2 will appreciably melt the oleomargarine. It will be appreciated that the anvil 2B, referring to Figure 11, will be adjacent to the top side of the oleomargarine print. It may be desirable to provide a longitudinal recess I32 in the oleomargarine as it is extruded by the votater. It is important that the anvil not accumulate oleomargarine on its delivery end because this oleomargarine might touch the top underside of the tube and interfere with the transverse heat seals. The shoulders I34 and I36 on the print are necessary to provide support for the Vinylite. The recess will make it possible to keep the oleomargarine from touching the anvil 26.

Applicant claims:

1. The method of packaging articles having suificient rigidity to hold their shape when rested on a fiat surface which comprises the steps of forming a tube around a row of aligned spaced articles, of puncturing the tube at the empty portion between adjacent articles so as to release air, of compressing the tube at the vented portion, and of severing the tube and sealing the adjacent ends of the container.

2. The method of packaging articles having suificient rigidity to hold their shape when rested on a flat surface which comprises the steps of progressively forming a tube of heat sealable material around a row of aligned spaced articles, of puncturing the tube at each empty portion between adjacent articles so as to release air, of

7 compressing the tube at the vented portion, of forming a pair of transverse seals in th compressed vented portion of the tube, and of severing between the seals.

3. The method of packaging two materials which are to be held in spaced relationship within the package which comprises the steps of ositioning a quantity of each material in spaced relationship on a flat sheet of wrapping material, of folding over and joining the opposite edges of the sheet so as to enclose both spaced materials in a} tube, of Closing both ends of the tube while retaining the two materials in spaced relationship to form a closed package; and of temporarily joining opposite walls of the tube between the two materials so as to divide the package into two temporary compartments.

4.- The method of packaging two materials which are to be held in spaced relationship within the package which comprises the steps of position'in'g a quantity of each material in spaced relationship on a flat sheet of fusible wrapping materia-Lof folding over and fusingopposite edges of the sheet so as to enclose both spaced materials in a tube, of fusing both ends of the tube while retaining the two materials in spaced relationshipto form a; closed package, of joining opposite walls of the tube between the two materials so as to divide the package into two temporary compartments, and of partially fusing the engaged surfaces of the joined walls to form a frangible seal between the two compartments.

5. The method of packaging two materials which are to be held in spaced relationship inside the package until a consumer mixes the two materials while still in the package which comprises the steps of moving a strip of wrapping material along a substantially horizontal path, of alternately depositing on and lengthwise of the strip quantities of said two materials so that they are in spaced relationship to each other, of folding and fastening the two edges of the strip over the deposits of material to form a; tube, of transversely closing andsevering' the tube between alternate deposits of the two materials to form individual packages containing both ingredients still in spaced relationship, and of temporarily joining the opposite walls of the tube of each package between the two materials so as to: divide the packa e into two teniporary compartments.

The method of packaging two nfaterials which are to be held in spaced relationship inside the package; until thecbns'mne'r' mixes the two materials while still in the ackage which comprises the steps of moving a strip of fusible wrapping material along a substantially horizontal path, of alternately depbsitiiig on and lengthwise of the strip quantities" of said two materials so that they are in spaced relatlohsh'ip'to each othen of folding the two edges of he strip over the deposits r m teriar of fusing thetwo edges to each other toform an air tight tube; of transv'ersly fusing the tube were and evering the tube between alternate deposits of the material to form individual, air-tight ackages containme both ingredients still in spacedrelationship, and of joining the opposite were of each package between the two materials so as to; divide the package into two tem orary compartments.

7. The method" of packaging two materials which are to be held in spaced relationship inside the p "brags until the consumer uni es the two' materials while still the package and wherein one or the materials is larger" m cross section than the other and has sufilcientfig idity' so that the wra ping. material may be. drawn tightly around its surface; which comprises the steps of moving a strip of fusible wrappingv material along a substantially horizontal path, of depositing the rigid material in spaced relationship successively lengthwise of the strip as it advances, of depositing a quantity of the second material on the strip between the deposits of first material and spaced therefrom, of folding the two edges of the strip tightly over the surfaces of the rigid material to form a tube having a cross section approximating that of. the rigid material, of fusing the two edges of the strip to each other; of puncturing, the tube between the deposits of rigid material so as to provide an air escape passageway,- of pressing together the walls of the tube between alternate deposits of the two materials, of fusing said walls together transversely and severing them to form individual packages containing both ingredients still in spaced relationship; and of joining the opposite walls of the tube of eachypackage between the two materials so as to divide the package into two temporary compartments.

8; The method of packaging a; print of an oily or greasy nature and a material to be mixed therewith in a compartment container, which comprises the steps of moving a strip of fusible wrapping material along asubstantially horizontal path, of depositing the prints successively, lengthwise of the strip in spaced relationship to each other, of depositing a quantity of the second material on the strip between the prints and in spaced relationship thereto, of drawing the two edges of the strip tightly over the prints and fusing the two edges to each other to form an air tight tube, of transversely fusing and severing the tube between alternate deposits of the two materials to forni individual airtight packages containing both ingredients still in spaced relationship, and of temporarily joining the opp'osite' walls of eac package between the two material's so as to divide the package into two temporary compartments;

9. The method or packaging print of an oily or greasy nature and a material to be mixed therewith in a" compartment container, which comprises the steps tempt ng a strip pf fusible wrapping material along a substantially horizontai at or depositing the r nts" successively, lngthwiseof t estri spaced relationship to each other, of depositing a quantity of th second material onthe strip between: the pri'nts and n r sed ehear ng. ereta. f ve e r' t two edges' of the strip tightly over theprints and fusihgthe two dges to each other vto form an air-tight tube, of puncturing the tube beeen he detos'if vor rigid a ial o 2 1 proride e i st r ae i e te an verse usi s a sl firf e he b h art alt rnat te sfl ihetwo ma er a fmtmi t iY eue airftigt packages containing both ingredients still in spaced relationship, and of joinihg the oi plosite walls at each package between the two materials so as to divide the package into two temporary etmpartmetts,

10. The method er packaging a print or oleomargarine and a quantity of oming material which comprises the steps" of moving] a strip' of fusible wrapping material along a substantially horizontal path; of depositing prints of elecmargarine; s'u'ecssivly, lengthwiseinlspacedrelations'hip' along the moving strip;- of depositihg a; duantity' of c-ol'oring material in viscous for which adheres to the strip in each space between the prints, of drawing the edges of the strip tightly over the prints and fusing the edges together to form a tube, of transversely fusing and severing the tube between alternate prints and deposits of coloring material to form individual air-tight packages containing both ingredients in spaced relationship, and of joining the opposite walls of each package between the print and the coloring material so as to divide the package into two temporary compartments.

11. The method of packaging a print of elecmargarine and a quantity of coloring material which comprises the steps of moving a strip of fusible wrapping material along a substantially horizontal path, of depositing prints of elecmargarine successively, lengthwise in spaced relationship along the moving strip, of depositing a quantity of coloring material in viscous form which adheres to the strip in each space between the prints, of drawing the edges of the strip tightly over the prints and fusing the edges together to form a tube, of puncturing the tube between the prints so as to provide an air escape passageway, of transversely fusing and severing the tube between alternate prints and deposits of coloring material to form individual air-tight 10 p ages containing both ingredients in spaced relationship, and of joining the opposite walls of each package between the print and the coloring material so as to divide the package into two temporary compartments.

WILLIAM E'. DENISO-N.

REFERENCE S CIT ED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

10. THE METHOD OF PACKAGING A PRINT OF OLEOMARGARINE AND A QUANTITY OF COLORING MATERIAL WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF MOVING A STRIP OF FUSIBLE WRAPPING MATERIAL ALONG A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PATH, OF DEPOSITING PRINTS OF OLEOMARGARINE SUCCESSIVELY, LENGTHWISE IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP ALONG THE MOVING STRIP, OF DEPOSITING A QUANTITY OF COLORING MATERIAL IN VISCOUS FORM WHICH ADHERES TO THE STRIP IN EACH SPACE BETWEEN THE PRINTS, OF DRAWING THE EDGES OF THE STRIP TIGHTLY OVER THE PRINTS AND FUSING THE EDGES TOGETHER TO FORM A TUBE, OF TRANSVERSELY FUSING AND SEVERING THE TUBE BETWEEN ALTERATE PRINTS AND DEPOSITS OF COLORING MATERIAL TO FORM INDIVIDUAL AIR-TIGHT PACKAGES CONTAINING BOTH INGREDIENTS IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP, AND OR JOINING THE OPPOSITE WALLS OF EACH PACKAGE BETWEEN THE PRINT AND THE COLORING MATERIAL SO AS TO DIVIDE THE PACKAGE INTO TWO TEMPORARY COMPARTMENTS. 